Kate's Wedding.

The Wedding: My Life Would Suck Without Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:18:00 +0000

Oh yes, I am a total shoe whore - so it's only appropriate that I ended up bring a Two-Shoe Bride. Therefore, while we continued to be primped and the boys headed down to the limo, my photographer Travis Hoehne, took the opportunity to take my two pairs of shoes and dress out for a spin. He displayed them in a variety of fun places - from hotel hallway to bathroom to window ledge. I'm really happy with how these shots turned out - they will look fabulous in an album!

First up, my Alexander McQueen black and white striped satin slingbacks! They would be used for the reception and I had been practicing our first dance in them for the past few months.

Travis Hoehne Photography
On the makeup artist chair...

Travis Hoehne Photography
...hanging from the towel bar...

Travis Hoehne Photography
...on the edge of the bathtub...

Travis Hoehne Photography
...to the window ledge. Don't jump!

Next, Travis moved on to my black, white and silver Missoni Wedges - the perfect ceremony shoes for an outdoor wedding. My married name beings with an "M," so this makes them that much more special.

Travis Hoehne Photography
A close-up of the Missoni knit heels.

Travis Hoehne Photography
I love how he slung my Missoni Wedges on the handles of this cabinet. It gives the images some movement and the warm wood adds a nice contrast.

Travis went back to grab my dress, which was hanging up in Mamita's room, all lonely and a little bit wrinkled (we steamed it later). Unfortunately, we forgot my nice padded hanger, so she was stuck grasping onto my plastic clear hanger. I'm still kicking myself for that!

Travis Hoehne Photography
My dress all forlorn in Mamita Pom's hotel room.

Travis took her out for a spin and hung her up in the hotel hallway. Happy to finally get some attention after these days of hanging in a plastic bag, she glowed with the help of the morning light.

Travis Hoehne Photography
I love the way the pleats drape in this photo.

That wasn't the last time my dress was on display - my wedding dress designer, Carole Kenney, won a local Wedding Vendor contest for Best Dresses. Lacking models on such a short notice, she had me accompany a few other "real brides" to the morning news.

You can watch my television debut here.

Previously:
The Wedding: Our Pre-Wedding Financial Jitters
The Wedding: Rehearsal Time!
The Wedding: My Last Night as a Single Lady
The Wedding: The Pretty Pros Arrive
The Wedding: FH’s Wedding Day Gifts Part I
The Wedding: FH’s Wedding Day Gifts Part II

The Wedding: FH’s Wedding Day Gifts Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:48:00 +0000

While the girls and I were getting pretty, Hubs was getting dressed. Sure, our room was filled with the chaos of 10+ bodies huddled in to a hotel room, but Hubs chose quiet and serenity over the craziness. This is one of the reasons I love him - he truly is the yin to my yang at times; while I relish in the busy, he does so in the calm.

Buttoning up his vest

What’s that I spy? Those don’t look like the “Eye Do” cufflinks…

While he was getting ready quietly in his room, my MOH snuck over with the second part of my Wedding Day Gifts - the surprise! I had stopped searching for the perfect cuff links, as the other ones I bought were so money (ha!) - but a Jan Leslie sale popped up on Gilt Groupe and I just couldn’t resist when I spotted them.

Jan Leslie Sterling Silver Hand-Painted Enamel Pineapple Cuff Links
on sale for over 45% off at Gilt Groupe.

I just couldn’t get over the fact that the pineapple had come full circle - Hubs gave me one on our first date, and then I gave him pineapple cuff links on our wedding day. It was the perfect surprise! In fact, for those of you interested in finding the perfect cuff links for your groom, there’s another Jan Leslie sale coming up on June 1st!

He threw on his jacket…

…and took a quick peek in the mirror. Done!

Hubs was dressed pretty quickly - while it took hours for us girls to be primped and pressed. So, he headed down to meet the rest of the groomsmen in the lobby and hopped in a limo to head to R.H. Phillips Winery for photos.

Previously:
The Wedding: Our Pre-Wedding Financial Jitters
The Wedding: Rehearsal Time!
The Wedding: My Last Night as a Single Lady
The Wedding: The Pretty Pros Arrive
The Wedding: FH’s Wedding Day Gifts Part I

I’m Baaa-aaack!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:32:00 +0000

Six (plus) months fly by so fast! I can’t believe it’s been so long - and that I’ve been so negligent with my bee responsibilities. My wedding recap fell by the wayside while we scrambled through what seemed like pure chaos:

I dyed my hair dark brown (post wedding dye, instead of chop) - and I promise a photo will come soon!
Hubs started a new job.
I kept my job, but I started my own new side-business. I’ve been swaaaaaamped, to say the least.
Sebastian ended up in the kitty hospital for a week - we almost lost him! He’s since recovered from his rather serious bladder infection. Whew!
We've have been sick for the last month - but I’m finally recovering from the chicken pox (no, I didn’t catch it as a child). If you’ve never had it, get the vaccine, stat!

So yes, it’s been far, far too long - but it’s time to start back up the wedding recap. I have tons to share and I can’t wait to catch up with all of the new readers.

Where did this sudden motivation to finish my recaps come from? Well, we’ve been published! I just got my copy of Real Weddings Magazine and was so excited to read the article that they wrote and see the photos they chose to print.

I think it’s funny that they chose that goofy picture of Hubs and me as the main image!

I love that they chose the picture that Travis took of our invitations - we had arranged that shoot after the wedding.

We’re also online in their Real Weddings section - where I gave a nice shout out to Weddingbee (of course) and waxed poetically about how much the blogging community helped me throughout my wedding planning process. Well, it’s time to give back and finish my recaps! More to come soon…

KME's Premiere Event!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Well, my feet are not quite as happy as my heart - but I would have to say that Kate Miller Events' very first Wedding was a success! I am so incredibly happy for Stevie and Blake and hope that they are having an amazing Honeymoon along the coast of California.

This wedding came with many challenges, namely a Recessionista Budget and a 3.5 month Timeline for planning. At first I thought it was four months - but really, we started this endeavor at the beginning of January 2009. 3.5 months it is! Of course, that didn't halt Airen and I from pulling out all the stops.

Per the guests' feedback, it truly was magical! The emotional ceremony, romantic candlelight, the pops of gold, cream, taupe, and mustard yellow, the food and the dancing - it was all fabulous and I feel honored to have played a part in this very special wedding day.

I have a few small sneak peeks - some non-pro photos taken by guests during various times of the day:

Whirly Globes filled with tealights and fresh flowers, ready to glow above the Capitol Building come nightfall.

Father of the Bride and Stevie travel down the aisle in style - check out that fabulous mustard velvet bouquet-wrap, complete with black & white beaded cameo garnish!

A menu sits afront one of the candlelight centerpieces, surrounded by a sprinkling of mustard yellow pom pons and Stevie and Blake's custom-made Photo Cards.

The wedding was held on the 7th Floor Terrace of the The Citizen Hotel, a boutique Joie de Vivre hotel amidst the tree-lined streets of midtown Sacramento, CA. As soon as I get the official professional photos from Sarah Maren Photography, I will be blogging it up. Until then, I think I may just finish my own wedding recaps. I'm so glad we've completed our first big event - now I'm just looking forward to the next!

Anyone need a wedding coordinator? *wink wink*

The Wedding: FH’s Wedding Day Gifts Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:27:00 +0000

MOH and Flirty Bridesmaid left with two extra-special packages to give to FH as a wedding day gift. The first of which was a super-secret surprise I had kept hush-hush for many months: a special boudoir shoot. The fabulous Sarah Maren and I holed-up in a chic little room at my favorite midtown bed and breakfast, The Inn at Parkside. Each room has a theme—ours was the “Kiss” room.

The Inn at Parkside
The rooms here are so chic and inviting!

The Inn at Parkside
Plus, the Kiss room had an in-room jacuzzi tub and fireplace - check out that adorable custom wall decal!

The Inn at Parkside
This chaise was covered in something so soft, it could have been cashmere.

Nicole of Deja Du Salon (the same wonderful lady who did my hair for our wedding) did my makeup and hair —and joined me for moral support during the shoot. I had brought a slough of different outfits that I had purchased over the months - mostly from a Victoria’s Secret End of Year Sale. I tried to keep the outfits as pin-up girl as possible, as that was the theme of the shoot. Didn’t Nicole do a fabulous job with the pincurl up top?

Sarah Maren Photography
I love this shot - it shows off the cute hair Nicole gave me and it’s sexy without being too much.

Sarah arrived armed with my two favorite adult beverages to help loosen me up—dirty martini mixers and red wine from R.H. Phillips winery (how thoughtful is she!?)—and we began the shoot. I started off feeling a bit awkward; but after a glass of wine and a sip of my martini, I loosened up a bit. It didn’t hurt that Sarah was absolutely hilarious and kept me laughing throughout the entire experience. She definitely removed any tension from the room. The shots with FH’s guitar and white shirt crack me up—as they are uber-cheesy—but I thought that he’d appreciate them.

Sarah Maren Photography
I was little tense at first…

Sarah Maren Photography
… but Sarah had me laughing in no time!

Sarah Maren Photography
The booze didn’t hurt—Sarah took some fun pin-up-esque shots with the martini.

Sarah Maren Photography
Here’s the cheese! Me with FH’s guitar and white shirt.
I had to sneak that into my car without him noticing!

Sarah turned these fabulous images into a 20-page 5×7 charcoal gray patent-leather covered album. It is gorgeously presented with little flourishes on the pages and contains a personal note to FH that doubled as my Wedding Day card—I’ve been informed by FH that the album is for His Eyes Only! The shots shown here are the few I could successfully beg his permission to share. I think they were all very tastefully done and all were in the super-sexy lighting Sarah magically created using her beloved Beauty Dish. I wish I had a Beauty Dish that followed me everywhere I went. I mean, look at what it did to my eyes? I swear they don’t always look like that!

Sarah Maren Photography
I love how amazing Sarah make my eyes look here! The Beauty Dish is every girl’s best friend. Plus, this shot shows off the diamond pendant FH gave me on our first Christmas together.

Sarah did an amazing job on the shoot and I was so happy to be her first test model (would you believe this was her first boudoir shoot!?) - and I’m super excited to share that she’s now offering these boudoir shoots as a part of her repertoire! MOH and Flirty Bridesmaid handed over the album to FH in private and then gave him another special wedding day gift that would replace something that I gave him at the Rehearsal Dinner.

Previously:

The Wedding: Our Pre-Wedding Financial Jitters
The Wedding: Rehearsal Time!
The Wedding: My Last Night as a Single Lady
The Wedding: The Pretty Pros Arrive

The Wedding: The Pretty Pros Arrive

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:22:00 +0000

I panicked a little, as our room had gotten pretty messy from our post-rehearsal partying. Thankfully, Crafty Bridesmaid and the other girls helped me sweep through the room and get it all ready for the chaos that was about to begin.

Image by Crafty Bridesmaid
Flirty and Blonde Bridesmaid all cozy watching TV as SIL Pom looks on.

Nicole of Deja Du Salon arrived first—a calming influence amongst the growing crowd. I had her start on the girls first, hoping to save my updo for the end. She worked her magic on a few of the girls and we enjoyed some Keeping Up With the Kardashians on the television while sipping on mimosas.

When LeiLani and her team arrived, they were a smidgen late, but boasted a third assistant to help make up for the lost time. I was so very pleased that she came so prepared. She unrolled the makeup spread across the table and Nicole moved into the bathroom to give them some natural light.

Travis Hoehne Photography
The crazy amount of makeup used to make us ladies up!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Mamita Pom gets her makeup done by LeiLani

Travis Hoehne Photography
Doesn’t she look gorgeous!?

Travis Hoehne Photography
MOH has her lips painted a nice glossy finish

Travis Hoehne Photography
MOH cracking up - she had us all in stitches all day

Travis Hoehne Photography
MOH looking gorgeous!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Blonde Bridesmaid lookin’ pretty incredible as well!

Travis Hoehne Photography
And Flirty? Breathtaking isn’t she?!

Once I sat down in the bathroom, my tummy began to act up again. There was all this talk of “rain” and “having to move the wedding indoors”. Liz, the Tasting Room manager at R.H. Phillips, called me to check in and let me know that they would be holding back on the setup until the rain cleared out. Our coordinator called to warn me of the possible changes. To put it simply, I was on edge.

Travis Hoehne Photography
LeiLani starts on my makeup.

Travis Hoehne Photography
I look a little tense here, don’t I?

Travis Hoehne Photography
Workin’ those Shu Uemura lashes! I wish I could wear them every day!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Yeah, uhm, I look a little stressed here too….

Around 2 PM I received another call from our coordinator asking me what I wanted to do—in or out? The ceremony started at 6 PM. Would I risk it? I couldn’t decide. I told her that I couldn’t make the decision and that Mr. Pom would have to make that final call. Once we had hung up, I immediately received a phone call from Liz, who has spoken with the nearby KCRA Weather Center. She was in close contact with their weather lady and she had recently gotten married. Liz asked her, “If it were you, would you have your wedding inside or outside?” She replied, “I’d do it outside.”

Travis Hoehne Photography
Finally! A smile!

Travis Hoehne Photography
This is proof that having a camera in your face all morning will make you do cheesy things.

Travis Hoehne Photography
The back of Nicole’s amazing job on my hair - and a closer look at my custom fascinator

That was enough for me. I called the coordinator back and told her “outside” was a go. If a weather lady was willing to risk her own wedding with this weather, I would too. In the meantime, MOH and Flirty Bridesmaid escaped to go deliver Mr. Pomegranate’s wedding gift.

Previously:

The Wedding: Our Pre-Wedding Financial Jitters
The Wedding: Rehearsal Time!
The Wedding: My Last Night as a Single Lady.

The Wedding: My Last Night as a Single Lady.

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:00:00 +0000

The night before the wedding was certainly a fun one. I hope I never forget it - my girls and I had such a fun time hanging out together and bonding. We had headed back to Cache Creek Casino and Resort while the Hubs drove back to Sacramento to take care of a few things and wait around for Groomsman Peter to arrive at the airport. Some of the ladies had not yet seen my wedding dress and so after changing into some flips flops, we went down to my Mom and the Reverend's hotel room to check it out. Then we decided to go check out the hotel's Club 88.

Cache Creek Casino
Club 88 has a nice large dance floor and lofted seating in the back. We tried out many different seating arrangements before hitting the floor, as it was mostly empty.

There was an awesome Top 40 group on stage, so of course after a beer or two we decided to get out on the dance floor. It was pretty dead for a Friday night - but we were out in the middle of nowhere and the casino wasn't really the clubbing type of hotel - so we had the floor to ourselves. I seriously wish we had taken a video for you all - so you could see the gyrating hips of the male singer on stage. Hilarious!

Photo by MOH
Flirty Bridesmaid having fun on the dance floor.

Photo by MOH
MOH, Flirty Bridesmaid and I dancing at Club 88.

Once we had our fill of dancing, we headed back to the hotel room to get some rest, but Groomsman Peter and the Hubs had returned from the airport and had some problems checking into their room, so we didn't get far. I ran back down to the front desk (my fourth time that day) to resolve the check-in issue (apparently having three rooms under one name was confusing for them) and got the boys their room key.

The excitement for all of us was too much - I don't think I actually rested my head on the pillow until midnight and even then, I wasn't able to fall asleep until about 2 AM. I woke up at 6 AM with a terrible stomachache - probably due to stress. I was worried about the rain. It was pouring outside. I hadn't planned on waking up until about 8 AM so I tossed and turned until my alarm woke up.

Photo by MOH
MOH insisted on taking photos at every instance of the day - including me in a towel before I hopped in the tub.

Photo by MOH
This is what I changed into - a white sweat suit I had purchased on clearance at Target for $25 just that week. So comfy!

I immediately went to draw a bath, hoping to ease the stress, and started fielding phone calls from vendors and family members. This was the quietest part of my day - the makeup and hair pros were not scheduled to arrive until about 11 AM. Blonde Bridesmaid arrived shortly before the chaos to supply us with much needed champagne and orange juice. Mmmmm mimosas!

Photo by MOH
Flirty Bridesmaid enjoys a mimosa.

Previously:

The Wedding: Our Pre-Wedding Financial Jitters
The Wedding: Rehearsal Time!

The Wedding: Rehearsal Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

We finished up at the spa, hopped into our respective cars and drove up to the hotel. We quickly checked-in, freshened up and changed. I put on my Ralph Lauren black and white striped dress - but my boobies were NOT going to fill it out. I had to improvise by taking my black wrap and tying it in front to not only cover up the vacant area, but also to hold it up!

Travis Hoehne Photography
First thing I did when I got to the winery? Why grabbed a glass of wine, of course!

I'm not gonna lie - with all the stress, I ate very little the week before the wedding. For most brides, the five (or possibly more) pounds I lost during that short period of time would have made them elated! But I was just worried that my dress might look a little...empty. Truth be told, I was a bit on auto-pilot and felt pretty crazy and rushed through the entire rehearsal. It didn't help that the weather was gray, misty and looking very much in favor of rain.

Travis Hoehne Photography
R.H. Phillips Winery under a haze of rain clouds.

Once everyone had gathered, we all headed up Olive Hill to start the Rehearsal. We decided to walk - instead of drive - to the top of the hill and it became a sort of adventure. Even with the rain clouds looming ahead, it was absolutely, breathtakingly, gorgeous out there!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Trekking up Olive Hill to begin the Rehearsal.

Travis Hoehne Photography
A sneaky peek at our Flower Girl through the grape vines on Olive Hill.

On my earlier recap post, Mrs. Penguin had asked if we had needed to reserve tents in case of weather problems. Due to my stubborn-ness and overly-optimistic attitude, we had passed on the tents. The weather reports were pretty much 50/50 on the rain factor and I wasn't going to spend another $3,000 on tents when we were already in financial limbo. Sure, we had worked out plans for rain, but they involved cramping 150 guests in the Tasting Room and removing tables when it was time to dance; it would be less than ideal.

However, I figured that the rain would clear up the next day. So for the moment, I was fine with it. Even when it started to rain on us during the rehearsal. It added a little humor to the moment when my MOH and Flirty Bridesmaid pulled their coats and sweaters over their heads. They weren't the only ones hiding from the sprinkling rain.

Travis Hoehne Photography
MOH protects herself from the rain with her coat.

Travis Hoehne Photography
We laugh mid-ceremony after catching a peek at Flirty Bridesmaid swathed in her cashmere cardigan.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Our Cousin (who just became engaged YESTERDAY!!!) and Flower Girl Allie huddle together in the cold.

Our coordinator (I won't mention much of her because I've never been 100% pleased with her services - and friends and family did more for me on the actual day than she did) ran us through walking down the grassy aisle three times before I finally called it quits. Three times was more than plenty and I was HUNGRY!

Travis Hoehne Photography
The Hubs and I walking back up the aisle for the first time.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Ceremony rehearsal times two! I love this shot of our hands.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Walking back up the aisle after rehearsal number two. I completely forgot my ribbon bouquet in the back of MOH's car. That doesn't mean I can't fake it!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Rehearsal number three - this is where I start to get bored...and hungry.

Travis Hoehne Photography
All lined up in a row.

Travis Hoehne Photography
The Hubs and I heading back down after the rehearsal together, taking a moment alone before dinner.

We headed to the Tasting Room where Liz, the R.H. Phillips Tasting Room Manager, had set up some tables topped with Cabernet and Chardonnay R.H. Phillips wines, the perfect centerpiece. Our friends and family gathered to visit while dinner was served. The conversation did not cease, with groups sectioned off in their own little worlds. It was nice, peaceful and relaxing - and the food? It was FANTASTIC! We had Cabernet Braised Shortribs with Gorgonzola Polenta and fresh Grilled Vegetables. The ribs were all locally raised beef and vegetables from the local farmer's market - because Liz is green like that.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Groomsman Brian enjoys a joke from Best Man Beau.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Ring Bearer Landon enjoying his spareribs, polenta and veggies.

Travis Hoehne Photography
A nice shot of the entire group enjoying dinner.

Travis Hoehne Photography
My iPhone never left my side - Travis obviously caught on to my addiction and captured this little memento.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Flower Girl Allie had some major fork balancing skills.

Travis Hoehne Photography
She began to try to get others in on the action, visiting each table to teach us how to do it.

Travis Hoehne Photography
And it worked! Blonde Bridesmaid gets in on the fork balancing action.

While dessert was being served - a Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae - the Hubs and I made a little toast to thank all of our friends and family. We handed out our parent's gifts - Ginger Elizabeth's Chocolates for our Moms and Old Soul Coffee for our Dads. They were subdued gifts - we had planned on following the footsteps of Mrs. Penguin in buying digital photo albums, but those had to wait until this Christmas. They were thank yous nonetheless.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Mmmm...brownie and ice cream!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Flirty Bridesmaid looks like she might cry during the toast.

Travis Hoehne Photography
My MIL opens the Ginger Elizabeth chocolate box.

We then handed out our Wedding Party gifts. This kids received giant bins full of fun Target $1 aisle stuff. The boys received mini bottles of champagne, utility knives (for the local boys), favorite books of the Hubs' (for the visiting boys), and some other little novelty items. My girls received their huge bags of fun. Inside each Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, was a freshwater pearl necklace, freshwater pearl earrings, a moss green pashmina, a handmade Japanese knot bag made with fabric from the wedding, tissues, customized stationary, a USB jump drive (that I had won from a contest) and a mini Pommery Pop bottle of champagne (they have a wrist strap!!).

Travis Hoehne Photography
Ring Bear Landon lugs around his Dragon and Knight themed gift basket.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Flower Girl Allie demonstrates the blanket and pillow portion of her Princess themed gift basket.

Marc by Marc Jacobs
Each girl received a black MbMJ Basketweave Tote - I had to make friends with an employee from the San Francisco store, who shipped them to me. They kept selling out!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Flirty Bridesmaid shows off her damask and green handmade Japanese knot bag, a project that truly tested my sewing skills (thank goodness for Co-worker Gloria who helped me out there).

Travis Hoehne Photography
Blonde Bridesmaid displays the freshwater pearl ribbon necklace. You can see the galvanized metal initials that I tied on to each Marc by Marc Jacobs bag - so that they could tell them apart.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Flirty Bridesmaid holds up the pink crocodile print USB drive that I won for each of them in a contest.

Travis Hoehne Photography
Flirty Bridesmaid holds up the Pommery Pop champagne 1/4 split complete with wrist strap, while MOH takes a gander at the black and white damask tissues in the foreground.

The Hubs chose to give me his wedding gift at the Rehearsal Dinner because he wanted to BE THERE to see the reaction on my face. I had decided to give him one of the gifts I had purchased for him in exchange, as I figured it would throw him off for what he would be receiving the next day. Sneaky, sneaky.

Travis Hoehne Photography
The Hubs holds up the cuff links I gifted him. The REAL wedding day cuff links would be given to him the next day, but for now, he thinks these are them!

Travis Hoehne Photography
Adorable yes? "Eye" and "Do" cuff links - because the Hubs is soooo money!

The Hubs had driven to the ends of the earth to get the wedding day perfume bottle engraved for me. Apparently, laser etching and engraving on a bottle full of flammable liquid is a no-no. Somehow he managed to pull it off - and it definitely blew my mind. It will be something that I treasure for many, many years. The perfume came packaged with the matching Ralph Lauren body wash and lotion as well as a Massage Envy gift card.

Travis Hoehne Photography
I think we can all agree that there should be a special place in our hearts for the Ugly Surprise Face - just as much as the Ugly Cry Face. I'm taking one for the team here by posting this.

Travis Hoehne Photography
The engraved bottle of Ralph Lauren Romance that the Hubs gave me as a wedding gift.

The night was young as we headed back to the hotel. I had dropped off some Out of Town Gift Boxes at the front desk and after I checked on them, I planned to kick back and relax with my girls. We were staying at the Cache Creek Casino and Resort - so there was much to do. After all, who needs sleep the night before your wedding day?

Travis Hoehne Photography
A shot of the girls and I before heading back to the casino - I SO had ugly rain hair, but my ladies all looked gorg!

Travis Hoehne Photography
The R.H. Phillips staff is super talented - check out this glass action. Yeah, that's how they clean up!

A special thanks to Travis Hoehne for joining us at our Rehearsal Dinner. It was a blast to have you with us and a great way to introduce you to the group before the big day!

Photo by MOH
Travis poses with Crafty Bridesmaid and Blond Bridesmaid.

Previously:

The Wedding: Our Pre-Wedding Financial Jitters

The Wedding: Our Pre-Wedding Financial Jitters

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:56:00 +0000

Hello again! I’m so sorry to have been away for so long! Married life has swept me off of my feet and I landed running. Then came the holidays and then came the common cold. I’m starting to recover—and I’m utilizing this time to catch up on my tasks at hand—namely, our wedding recap!

To be honest, it hasn’t slowed down since the week before the wedding. Which was, in fact, one of the most stressful times in my life. It shouldn’t have been, but a few things put a wrench in our sides—and I’ll be the first to say that even with those small setbacks, everything went off without a hitch!

Now, I think I have mentioned before that The Hubs and I were paying for the entire wedding ourselves. We had scrimped and saved every single dime and had arranged for just about every last vendor payment, house bill, and tip. We were ready for our wedding day—or so we thought.

The Hubs is self-employed and while we were completely ready to pay for the last of vendor balances, we still had to rely on our normal income to pay for the basics of life like rent, utilities and food. This proved difficult once we discovered that due to the failing economy, one of The Hubs’ clients would decide to back out on the promised payment of an already past due bill. We’ve still not received this substantial payment to date.

Panic rose and thoughts of canceling as much of our honeymoon as we could in order to pay our rent popped into my head.

We spent two days in angst before we decided to ask for help - and thank goodness for my Mom's awesome credit. We were able to pull it all off with a plan to pay her back by Christmas (which we did). While our wedding was not accomplished without a dime on credit, as we had wanted, any debts accrued were paid off shortly thereafter.

Now that I’ve got that snag off my chest, I’ll say that my Day Before started off in a panic. Nothing had been packed in the organized fashion that I had wanted, as we had spent all of our time figuring out our future finances. I scrambled to organize family members to come pick up the load of boxes and my new in-laws we so, so very wonderful. My Aunt-in-Law came with her giant SUV and my SIL labeled and loaded everything safely—not forgetting a thing.

Where was I? I was sighing along with my other Bridesmaids—MOH, Crafty and Flirty Bridesmaid all met me at a high-rise spa where we got full service pedicures and ate a catered sandwich lunch. It was the perfect way to calm me down and “start” my Rehearsal Day.

One of the few pictures I have of the day - as photography was not my priority during this stressful time: A fuzzy iPhone photo of Flirty Bridesmaid getting her pedicure and lounging in the VIP area.

Please note that this post was relatively “photo-free” and that all future posts will be “photo-heavy”, I promise. I simply could not begin without this as a helpful reminder that sometimes life happens and that it’s not always the end of the world. Hang in there girls; it will be amazing no matter what!

DECADES TWO SHOE SALE - HURRY NOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:32:00 +0000

Decades Two is the place to go for upscale vintage and new pieces from all of your favorite fashion designers. Right now, they are having two sales, a handbag and a shoe, over at HauteLook. This is the perfect place to scope out your dream wedding shoes at bargain basement prices.

Just look at these Miu Miu heels - the gems on the heels are swoon worthy. Remind you of anything? Miu Miu is Prada's sister company, so all of those flower heeled Prada beauties inspired this design.

Aren't these basketweave Miu Miu heels gorgeous?

The heel captures the show!
Miu Miu Raso Chic Heel
Retail Price $860
HauteLook Price $435

Hurry now before your size sells out - there are many other designers like Prada, Balenciaga, Alaia, and Lanvin that have perfect chic shoes for your wedding day.

If you're not a HauteLook member, fret not, click here to join!

GARNISH YOUR WEDDING.

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:17:00 +0000

Thanks to my new blogroll over at Pretty Damn Fabulous, I found this AWESOME new resource for brides via Coveiter: Garnish. They have the most simple concept - provide plain jane, chic, packaging that is just on the edge of it's seat waiting for you to bedazzle it.

Can you just imagine handing your guests customized to go cups with a specially blended hot cocoa to warm them on their ride home? I can! I used gable boxes for my OOT Bags and these ones with a window are just adorable! The best part? They give you all these fantastic ideas on how to use them.

Play Dough to Go - for the children's table!

Don't Stop the Music - Custom CD favors for your guests!

Winter Chill - A late-night hot cocoa bar to send your guests off all cozy!

Girl's Night In - A fabulous handmade indulgence for your bridesmaids.

Special Occasion Party - Fabulous mini gable boxes that double as both favor and seating card!

Check out Garnish ASAP for a bunch of other creative ideas that you could use for your wedding!

PRETTY DAMN FABULOUS...REVEALED!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:32:00 +0000

Some of you (who follow my Twitter account) may already know, but I've started a new blog. I wanted to leave this one up unscathed because it still gets a significant amount of traffic for brides getting married in the Dunnigan Hills area, or R.H. Phillips, or green/white/black and damask weddings. It's a resource and while I've moved on, I have no intentions of changing the purpose of Kate's Wedding Blog.

In fact, I will be posting more about my wedding, including reviews and a few posts on what I would have done differently. If you'd like a sneak peek at my pro-photos, they can be found over at my photographer's blog.

Until then, I'm onto something completely different, Pretty Damn Fabulous. I wanted something that encompassed knitting, shopping, nesting, cooking - every fabulous little activity in life that I love and adore so much. Therefore, I started Pretty Damn Fabulous with the complete intent on accomplishing a significant set of goals over the next three years. A 101 in 1,001 what have you.

So please, come join me over at Pretty Damn Fabulous - I may have a friend or two blogging along with me, but ultimately, it is the new and unending chapter of my life that I'd love to share with all of you!

Come say hi and leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

SALE ALERT! NEW REGENT'S SECRET & CHARRIOL AT GILT!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Okay, so this is totally not wedding related - but I just discovered another totally sweet Sample Sale site that I think many of you might like. You already know I'm just about addicted to Gilt, Hautelook, Ideeli, and Rue La La. Well, this is some of the same! So far, most of the sales have been Women's denim or shoe related - and have also included Men's and Children's wears.

Check it out here: Regent's Secret.

If you'd like an invite - just click the below link and enter my email address:
Click here to join Regent's Secret
My addy: katystardust(at)gmail(dot)com*
*replace the (at) with @ and the (dot) with .

Also, I think this Charriol sale is perfect for budding brides looking for pretty things to wear on their wedding day. Who can't pass up diamonds? Gents, this is your chance to give your lovely lady a tres fab wedding day gift!

Celtic Teardrop Earrings and Celtic Teardrop Necklace
Original Price $695 and $625 respectively
Gilt Final Sale Price $319 and $345 respectively
An absolutely gorgeous set that would be a beautifully simple touch!

Flamme Blanche 2-Circle Drop Earrings
Original Price $1,295
Gilt Final Sale Price $648
Amazing! They have a 3-Circle drop as well - if you like a little more dangle.

Cignature Filigree Necklace
Original Price $595
Gilt Final Sale Price $298
A delicate white gold chain with just enough sparkle. Would look fab layered.

Octogon Necklace
Original Price $1,995
Gilt Final Sale Price $995
An absolutely incredible choice for the modern bride - and with a $1,000 discount!

Flamme Blanche Earring
Original Price $1,995
Gilt Final Sale Price $995
Simple structure and a total carat weight of .44 total for just enough bling!

I'm a big fan - and I must admit, I'm a little sad my wedding day has passed. I won't be able to rock any of these rocks - but you can!

If you need a Gilt invite: click here!

DISPERSED.

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:26:00 +0000

After discovering this really cool stationary store on our Minimoon in Portland, Oblation Papers & Press, the Hubs and I decided that we'd both love to take a letterpress class.

Once returned from said Minimoon, I was itching to bake but lacked in ingredients - so I made these super easy and healthy Thumbprint Cookies (they're vegan - only I substituted chocolate chips for the jam).

I bought some much needed winter work shoes - Nine West Nostalgia Pumps only $49 at Off-Broadway Shoes.

Our first married trip to the pumpkin patch. We picked up two medium pumpkins and two medium butternut squash.

We had 4 golden delicious and 5 red delicious apples on their last leg, so I turned them all into this delicious Apple Tart (with pre-made crust, because "real baking" scares me).

Lastly, I decided to try a bit of "real baking" and try my hand at a Butternut Squash Souffle. Sadly, as this was my true first attempt at a souffle, I managed to dump everything INCLUDING the egg whites into my blender, only to remember at the last minute about the whole "carefully folding" thing - so I had to "carefully fold" all the non-pre-mixed ingredients together, which is why I imagine they didn't rise too much (too heavy). While not impressive, they were, however, very tasty.

Well, I've found that with no succinct future event to plan, I tend to be a bit dispersed. I have freedom at hand at the moment - I'm married with a great job and a lot of free time. Therefore, the question of the day (and yesterday and tomorrow) is, "what should I do?"

I take interest in knitting, cooking/baking, fashion, design, organization, crafting, snarky stories of douchebaggery, puppers/kitters, technology, shopping, volunteer work, event planning, stationary, traveling - all quite substantial topics in their own right. So how do I decide upon my next blogging venture?

If I blog about them all, do I become one of those bloggers? The ones that could only dream of a blogging audience that could fit in their pantry?

If I blog about one topic, how do I keep my roaming attention-span at bay? I simply am not one of those people who eats, sleeps, dreams about the perfect garden (though I'm jealous of those that are).

I'm at this point in life, a lull, what have you, where I'm post-nupital and pre-baby. The hubs and I have a short moment in time where we can be selfish in our daily ventures before truly "settling down." And, well, there is simply no fat chance in any locale that I can stop blogging about it.

So I sit here, dispersed in my blogging ideas and not knowing where to go. Any ideas?

SALE ALERT: GILT RTW FINAL SALE

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:36:00 +0000

We interrupt the regularly scheduled silence to pre-announce an upcoming sale. Gilt Groupe is once again gracing us with an incredibly amazing sale on their leftover Ready to Wear goodies. They've included a shorter version of a laundry list of awesome designers, including:

Alvin Valley
Asprey
Behnaz Sarafpour
Charlotte Ronson
Chip & Pepper
Cynthia Steffe
Cynthia Vincent
Dessous
Development
Edun
Erica Davies
Helmut Lang
Jill Stuart
Leigh Bantivoglio
Luca Luca
Miguelina
Mint by Jodi Arnold
Natori
Rachel Roy
Randi Rahm
Rebecca & Drew
Sari Gueron
Suzie Kondi
Thread Social
Tibi
Valentino
Vivienne Tam
Walter

So, I'm giving you this heads up notice to be prepared for this Thursday, October 30th, as the sale begins at 12 PM EST sharp. I'm hoping this brings the crazy 70% off plus markdowns the last sale did, as I plan to get a little bit of Christmas shopping done. Perhaps there will be some wedding worthy garb for brides and maids alike?

If you want an invite, feel free to join here: http://www.gilt.com/invite/katystardust

I'M MARRIED... AND BUSY!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:47:00 +0000

Wow.

I've been so busy! I thought it would drop-off after the wedding - alas, no. Right now, I'm just keeping my eye on the prize in preparing for my Half-marathon at the Nike Women's Marathon in SF this Sunday. Holy Fagoli! I did NOT blog, run or organize as much as I thought I would in the past few weeks. My blog, legs, and home are all showing signs of neglect.

Therefore, I'm trying to jumpstart my blogging motivator with a little exercise - lists! I love lists an while I haven't been tagged anywhere, I thought I'd tag myself and no one else.

Today I...
1. Tried to wake up early to run, but failed miserably.
2. Ran for 30 minutes on my lunch instead..
3. Ordered meals for the next two weeks at Dinner My Way to be picked up after work.
4. Reserved myself some fresh pesto and olive tapanade from my favorite host and hostess with the most-ess over at the Hidden Kitchen. Yum!

Still to do...
1. Write 70 thank you notes.
2. Run the Nike Women's Marathon (half) on Sunday in San Francisco.
3. Finish up Baby Shower invite design and prepare final proofs for the ever-fabulous James.
4. Clean/Organize/Purge all the chaos in my house.

Some of my guilty pleasures...
1. Pandora radio on my iPhone whilst running - best internet radio EVER!
2. Window shopping online at Gilt Groupe, Hautelook, ideeli, and many, many more.
3. Exotic chocolate bars from my freezer ice bin (though right now it only contains Hershey's).
4. Trying out new eateries and visiting my favorite slow eats in Sacramento.

Random facts about me...
1. No matter how full my Google Reader Inbox gets, I'm determined to at least scan every single one of them (this is a large contributing factor as to why I've not been blogging).
2. I'm keeping my maiden name as a second middle name - which means my initals will now spell "OW!" and I think that's pretty awesome.
3. I just saw a chiropractor for the first time EVER today.
4. I used to have problems making myself burp, but now that I'm married I can't seem to keep them in (okay, this started during the engagement as well)!

Well, I hope to get my blog balls rolling soon in hopes to ramp up for my wedding recap once Travis is done with my pro-photos. Yesterday, I was told that the photos would be in some time next week (SO excited)! Until then, here is an all-encompassing slideshow of all of our wedding related event photos (some contributed by guests) thus far (we have several of these on our wedding website).

WEDDING WEEK: MONDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:24:00 +0000

Whew! Working and planning your wedding at the same time is a total stretch for me! It's a good thing I'm off after tomorrow. I'll be able to focus on the details - but it looks like things are coming together so well, I might join the family for a trip up to Apple Hill on Thursday. I have high hopes for that as it would be awesome to be able to relax a bit the day before the Rehearsal.

We'll see.

With that said, I have a slough of things to blog about over at Weddingbee. Sadly, I have just not had time to upload my photos. The family is in town, so we've got chaos at the Pom Casa. Poor baby Sterling is having issues with being left outside all day - but he'll get to hang with his cousin Bronson all week long during our Honeymoon, which I know will make up for it all.

Today FH is on an adventure with my brother-in-law, youngest sister-in-law and Sterling. They're panning for gold - FH's newest obsession. I hope it relieves some of his pending doom stresses.

I'm hoping to blog once a day this week - for memorie's sake, but I'm not making any promises. ;)

THE FINAL STRETCH.

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Well, it's HERE! The 10-day stretch has finally come.

I'm surprisingly not-that-stressed-out. I just have a tidbit of anxiety that makes me constantly want to work on wedding shiz, even when I'm at work and can't. I have a constant To Do List running throughout my brain - and honestly, I'm not sure how I'm going to handle that once the whole she-bang is over!

There's a lot to do. I mean, the majority of it has been planned - but I need to pack and organize, organize, organize! I'm currently working on a Family and Friends-friendly document that will contain a toned-down timeline and lots of good info for everyone. I'm also working on finishing up the programs, menus, signage and getting everything packed up.

Family is arriving this weekend - and I can't wait to see them! I'm really hoping to get the majority of the stuff done so I can just relax and enjoy their company. It's been such a long time since we've seen them all. The reality of the situation is that I'll probably be rather busy - but we can all hope can't we?

Lastly, I'm just hoping that the Weather Fairy brings us a nice clear day. While I don't mind a few clouds (the clouds are SOOOO pretty in Esparto), I don't want to have to spend another dime on stuff like tents and whatnot. So preeeetty please, Weather Fairy - keep it dry, mmkay?

I'll try to keep posting here as much as I can - I've been lax as of late - but you can always find me under the alias of Miss Pomegranate over at Weddingbee!

AHOY ME MATEY!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:03:00 +0000

Soooo since today is International Talk Like A Pirate Day - does that mean that I can ask invited guests, who refuse to RSVP or chose to do so at the last minute, to walk the plank?

Let's just say that this lack of attention to etiquette shivers me timbers! Hehe.

SALE ALERT: DESIGNER GOWNS AT HAUTELOOK!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:02:00 +0000

I'm here, migraine and all, to bring you an emergency bridal fashion alert!

Hautelook is currently holding a delectable Decades Two sample sale showcasing dresses by none other than Prada, Michael Kors, Marchesa, Giambattista Valli, Carolina Herrera, and many more! These gowns are from a store specializing in pre-worn and sample clothing, hangbags, and jewelry (there's those as well, if you're looking). So most of the gowns are singles and in one size only. Hop to it folks!

If you want a Hautelook membership - email me here.

Swan Lake by Marchesa
Original Price $3,500
Hautelook Price $1,200
A fancy winter reception dress?

Boho Baby by Prada
Original Price $4,500
Hautelook Price $1,700
Love those ruffles!

Go Giambattista Valli
Original Price $2,500
Hautelook Price $1,000
Absolutely gorgeous - perfect wedding dress!

SOLD Delicious in Dior by Christian Dior
Original Price $3,500
Hautelook Price $1,100 - SOLD
I know it's sold, but OMG this is amazing and I had to blog about it!

Precious Peonies by Carolina Herrera
Original Price $2,990
Hautelook Price $1,050
This would be MY dress - if I didn't already have my dress. Love it!

Marvelous in Carlos Miele
Original Price $3,760
Hautelook Price $1,500
Love the bold black flower embroidery - still so ethereal and beautiful.

This sale ends in 35 hours 43 minutes. Have you found the dress yet?

I FINALLY TRIED IT!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:17:00 +0000

So. I've lost some of my motivation to write blogs (along with my motivation to create, perhaps) and so I apologize for being so uncharacteristically quiet.

I'll have lots of updates for you - in fact, for those of you who want a sneak peek at my dress as it's being made, well, there it is. I also have been a HUUUUGE slacker on the tag front. I was tagged by the oh-so-awesome Cathleya (AKA Mrs. Pengy on WB) and I have to share with you 6 random facts. Although, I'll be honest with you and say that these facts will not be included in this particular post (though I have been pondering them) - so that's another thing to look forward to!

What I do have to share with you, is that I've recently tried out this whole Endless.com fad. You know, the place that offers free Overnight Shipping. That's right, FREE! This also includes free returns as well - which I might just be taking advantage of.

See, I really thought that my $18 dress from JCrew (yup, I ended up getting it for THAT CHEAP) would pair nicely with some gold gladiator flats (now that FH has absolved his loathing of the color). However, I wasn't willing to pay $60+ for a pair of gold shoes that I would wear only so often. Not having much time to be shopping these days, I turned to my friend The Trusty Internets and paired up with Endless to purchase the shoes shown below.

DV by Dolce Vita Women's Daisy-11 Sandal
On sale for $41.97 @ Endless.com

First off, I'd like to say that I LOVE that Endless integrates seamlessly with Amazon - down to the shipping address. It made for an easy account setup for me. It's well-organized, which you know I love - but I'm not so sure about the veritable countdown clock at the top of the page that's basically screaming in your ear, "DID YOU FIND THEM YET? DID YOU FIND THEM? HURRY! HURRY! OR YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 24 HOURS TO GET THEM IN YOUR HOT LITTLE HANDS!!" Yeah, I do not need that kind of pressure when shopping.

The shoes were cute, but I'm still not sure about gold metallic anything. Bronze, yes - but gold is a tad flashy. If I were amazonian and bronzed myself - they might not be so bold. Alas, I am not. So we'll see - I may have to take advantage of that free return shipping, which I might add, is pretty sweet!

Have you shopped at Endless before?

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT.

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:51:00 +0000

Okay Sacramentans (and NorCal Residents), here is your time to shine. I'm going to take a moment away from wedding planning to discuss a topic that means a great deal to me: food.

I'm not kidding.

Image via Goosecross

Corti Bros. has been an East Sacramento landmark for over 38 years. My Grandparents shopped there and my Mom and Dad shopped there - it's in my family history. I'm so sad to say that they have been given 60 days to move out of their present location to make way for some sort of Raley's off-shoot. This truly saddens me. Read more on the story here.

If you care as much as I do about the local business owners and wish to support the well-loved East Sac Italian Grocery store, please sign this petition, to allow them a few more months transition - and to save us from a Christmas without Corti.

WEEKEND UPDATE.

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:47:00 +0000

This weekend was AWESOME! On Saturday, I attended my first Bridal Shower thrown by my amazing MOH. She really outdid herself - everyone had a blast. While I still haven't gotten all of the photos back just yet, I did receive a few from Crafty Bridesmaid before she left for Burning Man.

That's me looking on as my friends play musical chairs in MOH's backyard.

Let's just say that the cake was made by Blonde Bridesmaid (soon to be re-dubbed Kick Ass Cake Baking Bridesmaid) and it was limoncello cake. TASTY not to mention gorgeous. After cake, there were lots of games - including musical chairs.

Fabulous pic of me with my eyes closed - in front of Blonde Bridesmaids awesome cake. See the photos MOH framed on the buffet? So cute!

I now own WAY too much lingerie for my own good - and a few other treasures that I'll have to detail a bit later. Ta-ta for now!

A QUICK UPDATE - AND PLEA FOR HELP!

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:57:00 +0000

First off, I'd like to thank Liene for featuring me on her blog under the Meet the Readers section. I LOVE this column of hers as it's led me to some pretty sweet blogs to continue feeding my daily blog reading addiction. So yay - I'm so very happy to be a part of that!

Confirmation of my 43 days left.

Secondly, I want to apologize for not updating here more often. With 43 days to go, the pressure to finish all my DIY has heightened. I've got so much to do - my DIY CD Favors are almost finished (hopefully tonight - though they have yet to undergo their escort card transformation); sign-age needs to be made for the cameras, kissing menus, cupcakes, and numerous other things; my Bridesmaids gifts are coming along nicely; and well, the RSVPs just keep trickling in!

Getting a stack of these puppies in the mail every day really gets me excited!

I'm so VERY excited to be attending my FIRST Bridal Shower, which is being thrown by my Oh-So-Lovely MOH and her mommy (who is like a mommy to me as well). It will be nice to kick back and relax with all of my girlfriends and pig out on the delicious treats I know she'll be serving (she's a fantastic cook) - although, not too many, as I have another dress fitting on Monday. I've been so bogged down with planning shiz that I haven't had much time of energy to be cooking. I've since discovered what I think may be a great solution to my meal planning mishaps: Dinner My Way. I'll be tasting our second meal tonight - a review to come later. Have any of you tried something like this?

An example of what I normally like to cook: Zucchini and Squash Quiche.

In fact, I have to admit, my creative energy has been Tap City on all fronts for the past few nights. I've been struggling to finish the few graphic pieces on my To Do List for this week - it's SO HARD to design when you're not feeling up to it!

Therefore, I need your help readers: how do YOU replenish your creative energy when you're getting close to 'E'?

SICKY MCSICKERSON.

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:51:00 +0000

Sorry I've been so silent. I was under the weather last week and busy, busy bee this weekend. There will be LOTS to share, starting with my DIY Invite Follow-up Post on Wedding Bee today.

Check it out - and ask more questions in the comments, if I didn't already cover them in the post!